By: Imran Tipu, B.Sc. Civil Eng.
For the average person, building construction or renovation is a nightmare, which is mainly due to the lack of information regarding specialized labour and material options available for processes such as flooring, interior or exterior wall construction, roofing, etc. 
Innumerable Canadians are unaware of home renovation’s importance and the time frames in which different renovation processes must be executed. In addition, many are also reluctant to take a decision to get their homes or offices renovated as it is perceived to be extremely costly, hence they delay this, which can lead to problematic situations. I will put a light upon all these issues one by one in the subsequent Miracle volumes.
The extensive renovation mainly pertains to the addition and alteration in the existing building structure, whereas basic building renovation starts from power-washing, painting, sidings and roofing to flooring, dry walling, and finishing. Off course installation of new doors and windows are also considered to be basic renovation.  I am going to be discussing the various options of most recent locally available materials for single building activity, their application procedure, price range, tools, and equipment involved in it. I believe that this will help to eliminate any ignorance associated with the above-mentioned resources and activities, and if people possess more knowledge about them, only then will they be able to attain the best services for themselves at the most reasonable market prices. As we may also know, new/minority immigrant communities are most likely to have financial constraints: therefore I can also discuss some tips about how we can give a modern look to a 30-35 years old residential or commercial building by spending a relatively nominal amount.
In my coming series of articles, I will also share the process to attain an official permit from the city government for certain additions and alterations in building structures and the fundamental bylaws through which such construction is governed. Furthermore, I would also like to discuss the requirements, process, and benefits of becoming a certified trade professional/journeyman.
Many of our immigrants arrive with a family consisting of children and with that they have to strive to settle down here, which may lead them to do many jobs they never thought of doing if they were back in their home country. Some (very few) go on to completing university degrees, but many cannot do so due to their family structure or just the fact that getting a traditional professional degree may be too much for them. Hence, for those who do not have the option of studying at university here but still would want to have an equal or higher salary than Canadian university graduates, I would like to discuss the jobs in the trades’ field, which require certifications that take much less time and are relatively easier to complete, the studies can be easily completed alongside a job, and are extremely financially rewarding, especially in comparison to the other entry level jobs performed by the majority of immigrants. I will be selecting topics from a wide spectrum of ideas, and intend to provide useful solutions about most topics of predominant concern among our community.
How to improve the efficiency of aged single pane windows and doors?
In the extreme winter season, the conservation of heat significantly reduces electricity or gas bills. The heat problem arises due to multiple reasons such as blown insulation of walls and attics in aged houses, single pane windows and damaged weather stripping around door panels. The attic insulation can easily be replaced with minimal cost unlike the blown wall insulation.
It would be a wise decision to replace a single pane window by a double glazed window that would additionally benefit to control the UV radiations in summer along with sound proofing and air tightening effects. Aged external (entrance) doors should be replaced with new metal doors as they possess rigid insulation within them between their two metal walls, which inhibit cold air from outside to come into contact with the hot air indoors. Even with a limited budget, the efficiency of single pane windows and aged doors can be increased with affordable cost.
The efficiency of single pane windows increases from 30-50 percent through installation of storm windows, air sealing (weather stripping) and drapes. The storm window is a protective glass window that is installed over an existing single pane window. Moreover, it can be removed in a hot summer season with minimum labour. Storm windows are inexpensive and help to trap heat indoors.
If the windows possess air pockets, there are weatherization materials to seal out the cold air and block it from coming in. Preventing heat loss through air leaks in the home may be a bigger saving and increase in comfort, if corrected often at low expense. Different sealants are available in material stores that can be used to seal the air pockets around window panels or window sashes. Most inexpensive silicone sealants are in white color but also come in other colors as well and can easily be painted after drying. Installation of weather-stripping to windows reduces heating and cooling costs by 10% to 15%. Weather-stripping for windows comes in many styles: felt, vinyl, or foam rubber on a wood or plastic strip. The adhesive-backed type weather-stripping is easier to apply. Weather stripping kits are available in all building materials and equipment stores.
Doors are also major actors in maintaining air tightness, and must have sufficient insulation level to keep the cold away. One of the most effective options to upgrade the existing doors includes padded strip set into the edge of a conventional wood doorstop. The wood part is nailed to the doorjamb and is flexible enough to conform to even a badly warped wooden door. The strip seals out air movement, but is gentle enough that the door’s function is not affected. Other types of weather stripping include thin bronze or brass strips that are nailed inside the jamb where the door closes. Small nails are driven along one edge of the stripping while the other edge is sprung outward slightly. When the door closes, it contacts the metal strip, bending it a bit and ensuring tight contact with the door edge. This type of weather stripping is time-consuming to install correctly, but it lasts for years and is extremely effective at blocking out the cold air. More solutions include door sweep and bottom sweep, which create a tight seal when a gap exists between the bottom of the door and the threshold. For more information, visit www.rtmroofingandrenovations.com.

Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor
It is natural for people to lose heart when faced with failures.  When we encounter failures, they dampen our determination and leave incredible scars in our life.  Just remember, failure does not emotionally disturb some. Their success towers over all the failures.  We are led to believe that successful people never fail in any of their attempts.  Let us not be under the impression that successful people have had a smooth life. 
The fact is that people succeed only after making mistakes, learning from them and by avoiding recurrence of the same mistakes.  It is important that one should learn from failures and try to overcome one’s shortcomings. 
When we watch a tree with it’s sprawling branches and a massive trunk, we  are taken in by it’s grandeur and majesty. We don’t see the hidden roots that have stuck deep into the soil. The roots that are responsible for nourishment and strength of the tree.  We often notice the fruits of success of a person and not the struggle behind it.  We often mistake success as fortune and failure as            misfortune. 
All success is the result of hard work and ceaseless effort, while failure is a  product of sluggishness, miscalculations and sometimes unforeseen accidents.  Every failure can be a stepping stone to success provided we understand the cause of failure and overcome it.  Failures are lessons in life.  Life is a series of trails and errors and it is impossible for anyone to avoid errors and wish away trails. 
Don’t grieve over failures. Make every failure an experience and learn the right lessons from it.  When you start grieving over failures you miss the lesson they teach you. Every failure has a cause and instead of ruminating over failure, analyse the cause.  Therein lies the lesson.  The lesson you learn is positive advantage. Failures need not frighten you.  A positive approach to failure will work as a springboard for you to leap towards success. “ In this limitless universe, you can never be stuck.”
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